Automatic feeder



June 8,1926. 1,587,775 7 T. J. HIGGINS AUTOMATIC FEEDER Filed August 4. 1924 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS f at-rented June 8, 1926.

THOMAS JOSEPH HIGGINS, OF ODELL, ILLINOIS.

PATENTOF FICE.

AUTOMATIC FEEDER.

Application filedAug'ust 4, 1924. Serial No. 730,100.

My invention relates to improvements in automatic feeders and it consists in the com binations, construct-ions, and arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide an automatic feeder of the character described in which the feed originally delivered into the feeding trough must be eaten before additional feed is admitted. This prevents the feed from molding or caking. which necessarily prevents waste.

A further object of my invention is to provide an automatic feeder of the character described in which the feed is admitted to the feeding trough only as it is required and not continuously, as in the ordinary type of automatic feeder.

A further object of my invention is to provide an automatic feeder of the character described in which the cutter employed in the mechanism for stopping the feed delivery to the trough closes upwardly. If the cutter should move downwardly in closing, substances larger than the feed would likely become wedged beneath the cutter, and partially check the closing of the delivery mechanism and thus permit the small matter or feed to flow therethrough. The cutter moving upwardly in closing, obviates this disadvantage.

A. further object of my invention is to provide an automatic feeder of the charac ter described in which the mechanism for actuating the feed delivery is carefully guarded so that the stock may not interfere with the operation of the device.

A further object of my invention is to provide an automatic feeder of the character described in which means is provided for adjusting the delivery mechanism so as to permit large or small quantities of feed to remain in the trough.

Other objects and advantages will appear 9 in the following specification, and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of an embodiment of my invention,

Figure 2 is a sectional View of the mechanism illustrated in Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is a sectional View along the line 33 of Figure 2.

In carrying out my invention I make use of a base member 1. A feed hopper 2 is supported above the base member 1 and is provided with an inclined roof or cover 3, one portion l of which is hinged at 5 so that it may be lifted to permit the introduction of feed.

The hopper 2 has an elongated delivery opening 6 at the lowermost end thereof the width of which may be regulated by means of a slide 7 having a handle 8 extending externally of the hopper whereby the slide may-be moved over the opening at will.

A feed trough 9 is'provided and disposed upon the hopper 2 so as to permit of the feed dropping into the trough when the delivery opening 6 is uncovered. This trough 9 is supported upon a pair of metal straps 10 which are pivotally mounted at 11 upon a cross piece 12, secured in place at 1. The straps are pivotally mounted intermediate their length, the greater portion of the straps extending on that side of their pivotal support opposite to the trough.

These oppositely extending portions of the straps 10 indicated at 13,are inclined downwardly when the trough 9 is in the posit-ion shown in full lines in Figure 2.

The iron ball 14 is supported upon the portions 13 of the straps 10. This ball is larger than the space between the straps and therefore is free to roll upon the adjacent top edges of the straps. A pair of loops 15 and 16 are partially secured between the straps lO'by the provision of openings 17 through the straps and are employed for the purpose of limiting the rolling of the ball 14: which is sufficiently heavy to roll into the position shown in full lines in Figure 2, when the trough. 9 is emptyand therefore elevate the trough. When the trough 9 is filled, the weight of the feed is sufficient to cause the trough to drop, and thereby roll the ball 14 back against the wire loop 16 where it will re main until the major portion of he feed is removed from the trough, r

for closing the delivery openings, when the trough 9 is in the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 2, is provided in a pair of connecting members 18 pivotally connectedat 19 to the straps 10 and pivotally connected at 20 to a pair of rods 21. The rods 21 are pivotally supported at 22, and serve to support at their opposite end, a gate 23 which is disposed'beneath the delivery opening 6 when the trough 9 is in the position shown in full lines ofddigure 2. When the trough 9 is removed to the low ered position, however. the elevation of the portion of the straps 10 will .cause the gate 23 to move to the position shown in dotted lines,and thereby closethe opening 6.

A delivery guard member .24 is suspended from the @hopper 2 in front of the gate 23, :and the delivery opening 6, sothat the stock -.1'nay not'interfere with the -,op.eration of the gate. A dividing bar 25 is also provided so as to adivide the feeding space into two compartments so that the stock will not crowd in feeding.

It should benoted that while I have shown and described an embodiment of my invention which appears to be portable in its .natfirg'that my improved automatic feeder may be built in as a part of the barn construction without in any way departmg from the spirit and scope of any invention,

Erom the foregoing descri tion of the various parts of the device t e operation thereofmaybe readily understood. Let us assume that the hopper 2 is filled with feed 26'which is introduced to the :hopper by lift- .ingthe hopper cover 4.

If no feed "s in the trough 9 the trough will lie in the position shown in the full lines -.of Figure 2, due to the fact that the weight of the ball upon the portions 13 of the strap 10 will overbalance the trough. The feed will, therefore, be delivered through the'opening .6 into the trough 9 because of the fact that the gate 23 is in'the position shown in the .full lines. As the trough '9 becomes filled with the feed it will fall into the position shown in the dotted lines, and its weight will overbalance the weight of the ball 14 upon the portion 13 of the straps 10, and the ball 14 will roll to the position shown in thedotted lines of Figure 2. This is caused by the movement of the straps 10 upon their pivotal support 11. The movement of the straps 10 will also cause the elevation of the 'rods 21 by virtue of connecting members 18 and the gate 23Will be in aposition to close the delivery opening 6, thereby stopping the flow of feed to the trough.

The stock may new cat the feed in the trough and when suflicient feed has been consumed to reduce the weight thereof sufliciently, the ball 14 will again weigh loop 15 may be moved toward the pivotal support 11 of the straps into the next adjacent opening 17, or, if a greater amount of feed is desired, the loop 15 may be moved toward the outer end of the straps 10. This may be .done by pinching the loop so as to moveit out of engagement withthe opening 11? and the rod 10.

1 claim 1. An automatic feeder comprising a feed hopper having a delivery opening, a trough for receiving the feed from the opening, means for shutting ofi' the flow of feed through the opening, said meanselosing in such a manner as to prevent the wedging of any material between the closing means and the wall of the opening, and means associated with said closing means "for'holding said closing means in closed position until the trough :is entirely empty of feed, and

then for quicklyopeningthe closing means and'holding the closing means in open position until the trough has been'filled with a predetern'iined quantity of feed.

2. An automatic feeder of the type desoribedhaving a delivery opening, a recept'acle for receiving-the feed from said opening,-and means associated with said receptacle forclosing the opening when said receptacle has received a predetermined quantity of feed, said means including a gravity actuated member for keeping the opening closed until the receptacle has been entirely emptied of feed and then for quickly uncovering the openings to permit the feed to flowinto the receptacle, and then for quickly closing the opening after the receptacle'has received a'predetermined quancity of feed.

An automatic feeder of the type described having a delivery opening,'a receptacle for receiving "the feed from said opening, means associated with said receptacle for closing the opening when said'receptacle has received a predeterminedquantity of feed, 'said means including a gravity actuated member for keeping the'opening closed until the receptacle has been entirely'emptied of feed and then for quickly uncovering the opening, to permit the feed to flow into the receptacle, and then for quickly closing the opening after the receptacle has received a predetermined quantity of feed, and auxiliary means for controlling the 'flow of feed through the opening.

4. An automatic feeder comprising a re ceptaoie tor grain having a discharge opening at the bottom thereof, a guide member for the grain extending beyond the opening, and a gate having its upper edge flush with the grain conveying surface when the gate is in open position, and means for moving said gate upwardly to out off the flow of grain through said opening, said gate preventing further movement of the grain through said opening When said gate is raised to a position high enough to cause the grain abutting the gate to level off between the gate and the top of the opening.

THOMAS JOSEPH HIGGINS 

